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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/22816444">puzzle pieces</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/forbiddenquill/pseuds/forbiddenquill'>forbiddenquill</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>TWICE (Band)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Alternate Universe - College/University, Dayeon breathed!!!, F/F</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-02-20</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-02-20</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-04-28 11:27:59</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>General Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>5,248</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/22816444</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/forbiddenquill/pseuds/forbiddenquill</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Dayeon AU: In which Dahyun is dense and Nayeon is tired. </p><p>(or alternatively, the three times Nayeon tried to confess and the one time Dahyun finally understood.)</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Im Nayeon/Kim Dahyun, Misana and Chaeyu mentioned</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>13</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>456</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>puzzle pieces</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>It's been a while since I wrote something so I wanted to sit down and try to get over my writer's block. This might be very messy but I'm happy with it. I hope you will be too! </p><p>Enjoy!</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>//</p><p>
  <span>“Kim Dahyun,” Nayeon declared, “I love you.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>To be fair, Dahyun didn’t expect her Friday night to turn out like this. Sure, she expected an insane amount of homework to be done, some leftover Chinese food on her desk and Britney Spears’ ‘Work Bitch’ stuck on repeat in her playlist. Thankfully, her roommate was out for the night, studying at the library with a certain Son Chaeyoung. What Dahyun didn’t expect, however, was Im Nayeon showing up out of nowhere in her dorm room, looking panicked and (to be completely honest) deranged, with a declaration of love slipping past her lips. It was nearing 2:00 AM. Everybody should either be asleep or out enjoying college parties. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Instead, Nayeon was standing by the entrance of Dahyun’s door, her light brown hair tied in a messy bun, glasses slipping past her nose and feet barely tucked into her shoes. It looked like she ran a couple of miles, like she just woke up from a nightmare and was in need of a nightlight, like there was something she wanted to say and it just </span>
  <em>
    <span>couldn’t </span>
  </em>
  <span>wait. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Maybe she just got home from a party…? </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Dahyun blinked and realized that she hadn’t responded to what Nayeon just said. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>She put down her pen, shut her notebook and turned in her chair so that she was fully facing Nayeon. The older girl still had her hand on the doorknob, lingering by the doorway. When their gaze met in the empty space between them, Dahyun could see the shot of anxiety that flickered across Nayeon’s eyes. The sight of it was enough for Dahyun to finally say, “Uh, okay?” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Nayeon’s shoulders visibly dropped as she leaned her weight on the door. “Jesus,” she muttered, closing her eyes, “Chaeng told me to just </span>
  <em>
    <span>say </span>
  </em>
  <span>it so that you’d </span>
  <em>
    <span>finally </span>
  </em>
  <span>understand.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Say what?” Dahyun repeated, still sitting down, “That you love me? I would hope so, unnie. We’ve been friends for like </span>
  <em>
    <span>years</span>
  </em>
  <span>—”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Nayeon interrupted Dahyun by throwing her hands in the air and groaning out loud. “Oh my God!” she exclaimed, looking like she’d been punched in the gut, “Forget I said anything!” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Before Dahyun could open her mouth again, Nayeon stepped back and slammed the door shut. The resounding </span>
  <em>
    <span>thud </span>
  </em>
  <span>and the ringing silence that followed made Dahyun feel like a tornado had passed through her room and she was now standing in its aftermath. She blinked again, wondering if she imagined the whole thing. Did Nayeon really just show up out of nowhere to tell Dahyun she loved her? Strange. But it wasn't something Nayeon </span>
  <em>
    <span>wouldn’t </span>
  </em>
  <span>do. After all, the girl once ate paper and laughed about it. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Dahyun shrugged and returned to her homework. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>//</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I was drunk,” Nayeon told her a week later when they saw each other in the hallways. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Dahyun was too busy reviewing her notes to spare Nayeon a glance. “I kind of figured,” she said, slowing down her pace so that the older girl could fall in step next to her, “You did look a bit…”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“A bit what?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Dahyun bit her lip, trying to find the perfect word but also wanting to be honest. “Crazy?” was what she finally settled for. A cheeky laugh escaped her when she heard Nayeon’s offended gasp. “A good crazy, though. You just showed up out of nowhere. Kinda caught me off guard.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Nayeon was quiet for a few more seconds but she kept walking alongside Dahyun. The younger girl had an exam to prepare for so she wasn’t paying much attention to her surroundings. Thankfully, Nayeon was there to keep her from bumping into random poles or other college students hurrying to their next class. Finally, after a few more minutes of just silence from Nayeon and Dahyun religiously memorizing her notes, they arrived at the lecture hall where Dahyun’s exam would take place. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Dahyun-ah,” Nayeon began, suddenly looking nervous, “Can I ask you something?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Dahyun finally looked up from her notes, smiling encouragingly when Nayeon looked like she was going to hesitate. “You know you don’t have to ask,” she pointed out.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I know,” Nayeon grumbled.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“What’s up?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Nayeon hummed, gaze jumping from one point to another. Then she sighed and glanced shyly back at Dahyun. “If somebody confessed to you,” she said, “how would you react to it?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Dahyun mulled it over. “Like romantically?” she asked.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Nayeon rolled her eyes. “Oh my God, of course I mean it romantically,” she muttered, “Who the hell confesses </span>
  <em>
    <span>platonically</span>
  </em>
  <span>?” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You did,” Dahyun said, recalling the other night where Nayeon showed up at her dorm room just to tell her she loved her. The memory of it made her smile; “Like you literally </span>
  <em>
    <span>just </span>
  </em>
  <span>did that.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Dahyun was too busy thinking about the question to notice the pained expression on Nayeon’s face. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I can’t imagine somebody </span>
  <em>
    <span>platonically </span>
  </em>
  <span>confessing,” Nayeon went on, her voice making it clear that she was trying to prove a point, “Like you don’t declare that you want to be friends. You just </span>
  <em>
    <span>are</span>
  </em>
  <span>.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Dahyun looked at her, frowning. “But I like declaring that I’m friends with people,” she said, “I mean—I confess to Chaeyoung all the time that she’s my best bro.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“That’s because you guys are weird.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Dahyun winked. “You’re just jealous, unnie,” she said in a singsong voice.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Nayeon scoffed but didn’t say anything else. Dahyun turned her attention back to the question that was posed. “Did somebody confess to you?” she asked, thinking about how likely it would be. Im Nayeon was popular. People were always tripping over themselves to ask her out. Still, when it came to dating, she always turned to Sana or Jihyo regarding prospect suitors. While Dahyun was surprised that Nayeon would come to her for this, she couldn’t help but feel pleased all the same. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Pleased… and something else entirely. She couldn't quite put her finger on it. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I wish,” Nayeon grumbled. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Dahyun raised an eyebrow. “What do you mean by that?” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“It doesn’t matter,” Nayeon insisted, sighing loudly, “Just answer the question. Please? What would you do if somebody confessed to you? Romantically? Like they have real genuine feelings for you? Like they want to date you and kiss you and eventually marry you?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Dahyun didn’t have to think twice about it. “If I like them back, then I’d accept it? If I don’t, then I’d let them down gently?” she answered. It was easy to answer questions about scenarios she hadn't been in before, after all. “I mean, I imagine that it’s really hard to confess to someone, especially when you have strong feelings for them. I wouldn’t know, really, because I’ve never confessed to anybody before. Like, do you just blurt it out of nowhere—?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I love you,” Nayeon told her.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Dahyun snapped her fingers, grinning broadly. “Yeah!” she said, “Do people do it like that?” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>For some reason, Nayeon just stared at her. After a while, she sighed and shook her head. “Thanks for answering the question,” she said, cracking a smile.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Dahyun thought the smile looked a bit forced but she didn’t push it. If something was bothering Nayeon, then she’d tell Dahyun. That’s what friends were for, right? “Okay,” she said slowly, unsure how to react to the sudden shift of mood. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Good luck on your exam!” Nayeon said after a brief pause, pushing Dahyun inside the lecture hall, “I know you can ace it!” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Warmth blossomed in Dahyun’s chest as she beamed at the older girl. Nayeon had always been there for her during her entire college years—a steady and welcome source of strength. Sometimes, Dahyun turned to her in times of need but there was no way she was going to admit that out loud, especially to Chaeyoung who would take offense in the matter. “Thank you, unnie,” she said earnestly, “I’ll see you later!” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Dahyun didn’t see the way Nayeon’s smile faltered at the corners. Just a tiny bit. It was barely noticeable anyway. Not that Dahyun was paying attention in the first place. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>//</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Dahyun-ah,” Nayeon said a few days later while they were out having lunch, “there’s something I need to tell you.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Dahyun looked up from her beef bulgogi and gestured for Nayeon to go on. They were sitting at one of the restaurants they often frequented. It was a Saturday. They didn’t have any pressing matters to tend to so Nayeon had asked her out for lunch and Dahyun had accepted. Now here they were, enjoying a lovely day with each other’s company.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“There’s somebody I’m in love with,” Nayeon continued, as per Dahyun’s instructions, “and I don’t know how to tell her.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Dahyun put down her chopsticks. For some reason, she didn’t feel like eating now. She chalked it up to setting aside her basic needs to focus on Nayeon’s. “Is this related to the question you asked me the other day before my exam?” she asked, leaning forward, “When you asked me how I would react to being confessed to?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The older girl shrugged, playing with her stir-fried noodles. She looked nervous, fidgety, and Dahyun tried to understand. Nayeon had been acting weird for the past few days. Maybe she was just stressed about this whole being in love with someone. Dahyun hadn’t heard about it, after all. It wasn’t that far-fetched to assume the older girl was acting this way because she was in love with somebody and she didn’t know how to deal with it. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You should tell her,” Dahyun said, feeling weird about it. She wasn’t used to giving Nayeon advice when it came to her love life, “You’re Im Nayeon—I’m sure she feels the same way.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“That’s the thing,” Nayeon argued back, “I’ve already told her.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Dahyun hummed. “How did she react?” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Like I didn’t even say anything.” This time, Nayeon stopped playing with her food and looked up at Dahyun with a frustrated expression. Due to the intensity of her stare, Dahyun felt like the frustration was directed at </span>
  <em>
    <span>her</span>
  </em>
  <span>, which didn’t make sense, of course. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Maybe you weren’t clear enough?” Dahyun suggested helpfully. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“No,” Nayeon grumbled, “that’s not it. She’s just dumb.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Dahyun winced. “I don’t think it’s nice to call the person you’re in love with dumb.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Only if she stopped being dumb!” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Okay, okay.” Dahyun smiled reassuringly. “I get it. She’s dumb. You’ve confessed your love and she didn’t understand it. How did you say it anyway?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Like this!” Nayeon straightened her back, fixed her gaze on Dahyun and said, voice clear as day, “I love you.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Well," Dahyun said blandly after a brief pause, "I can see why you'd think she was dumb."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Nayeon slumped forward, eyebrows furrowed together. "I don't get it," she said, "Isn't it obvious already? I said 'I love you' and </span>
  <em>
    <span>boom</span>
  </em>
  <span>—nothing! Does that mean she doesn't love me back?" </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Dahyun wouldn't say she was an expert when it came to Im Nayeon but anybody looking at the despair in her eyes could clearly understand that she was completely miserable about this whole turn of events. And even though she was far from having any romantic relationships in her life, Dahyun wanted to help out with the limited knowledge she had. So she stood up, took a seat next to Nayeon and scooted close. Then she reached over and held her hand. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I think you need to make yourself clearer," Dahyun said brightly, ignoring the sudden pang in her chest when Nayeon fixed her wide-eyed gaze on her, "You just can't walk up to someone and say 'I love you' without any context. She might misinterpret it as a platonic friend thing." </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Platonic," Nayeon repeated, sounding like she wanted nothing more than to rip that word apart. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Yeah!" Dahyun beamed. "Just like the same thing you did with me the other day. You went to my room and said that you loved me. You're my friend so naturally, I know that you only mean it as friends—" </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I don't want to be your friend," Nayeon cut her off and Dahyun closed her mouth, eyes widening in surprise; "I want to date you. I want to be your girlfriend. I want to hold your hand and take you out to restaurants and make you laugh with my half-assed jokes. You make me happy. You understand me. You bring out the best in me. And if you rejected me right now, it would hurt like a bitch but I would understand. Because at the end of the day, all I want is for you to be happy. Even if it isn't with me." </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Silence. Dahyun felt warm all over. Nayeon's gaze was heavy but not unwelcome. They were still holding hands and it occurred to Dahyun, half a second later, that Nayeon was trembling all over. So she reached out with her left hand and covered Nayeon's with her own. Then she looked at the older girl, took a deep breath, and said, "And </span>
  <em>
    <span>that's </span>
  </em>
  <span>how you should tell her." </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Nayeon slipped her hand from underneath Dahyun's grip and turned to look at her food. "We should finish up soon," she said, voice suddenly rough, "I have somewhere to be later." </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Dahyun frowned. "Is there something wrong?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Nothing," Nayeon insisted, not looking at Dahyun in the eye, "Thank you for listening to me." </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Unnie…" Dahyun didn't know what she was doing wrong and she really didn't want to push Nayeon but judging by the disappointed look on her friend's face, she knew that this whole confessing thing had affected her badly. "You can always try again," she said, in hopes of cheering Nayeon up, "Maybe she didn't understand you the first time." </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"It's okay, Dubu," Nayeon said, shrugging, "I already told her how I felt. If she doesn't feel the same, then so be it." </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Dahyun's frown deepened. "But…" </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Sometimes," the older girl began hesitantly, finally glancing at Dahyun with a sad little smile on her face, "not getting a response is still a response in itself." </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Dahyun couldn't help but feel like the words were… </span>
  <em>
    <span>somewhat </span>
  </em>
  <span>directed at her. But that wouldn't make any sense, right? Nayeon was her friend. They've been friends since high school, despite Nayeon being a senior. When Dahyum entered the same college, the older girl was always there. She helped Dahyun in her homework, showed her the most popular coffee shops, gave her tips when it came to certain professors in electives. So, by default, it wasn't her that Nayeon was talking about.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>...Right? </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Unfortunately, Dahyun's thoughts were interrupted by Nayeon's phone ringing. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I got to take this," her unnie said, sliding out of her seat and bringing her phone with her. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Dahyun didn't understand the swirl of emotions rising up in her chest. Watching Nayeon turn her back on her, phone pressed against her ear, as she talked to whoever was on the other end, made Dahyun feel like she was being purposefully left out of an important secret. It was an unpleasant feeling. Because just as she knew that secrets were important, she also knew that being left out of one meant she wasn't trustworthy enough. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Or it also meant that the secret involved her. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Dahyun couldn't help but feel like she was out of the loop. Which either meant she wasn't supposed to be a part of it or she was the one in the middle. But to be in the middle would mean seeing and knowing everything, and Dahyun realized, not for the first time ever, that she didn't really know anything at all. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>//</span>
</p><p>
  <span>It finally hit Dahyun while she was trying to fall asleep in bed later that night. Her roommate, Tzuyu, was already knocked unconscious by her workload so she slept like dead weight in the opposite bed. Dahyun, on the other hand, was thinking things through. She stared at the ceiling, eyebrows scrunched together, as she replayed her conversations with Nayeon over and over again. It was like listening to a song stuck in repeat and each time she started over, the lyrics started making more sense to her, revealing a story that had been right there all along. </span>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Kim Dahyun, I love you.</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Chaeng told me to just </span>
  </em>
  <span>say </span>
  <em>
    <span>it so that you'd </span>
  </em>
  <span>finally </span>
  <em>
    <span>understand. </span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Who the hell confesses </span>
  </em>
  <span>platonically</span>
  <em>
    <span>? </span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>That's the thing—I've already told her. </span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>I don't want to be your friend.</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Sometimes, not getting a response is still a response in itself. </span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span>She put it all together painstakingly slow, like a puzzle with the corners of each piece slightly bent and chipped. They didn't fit the first time around. She had to look at each one closely and carefully, ensuring that it was in it's rightful place, before moving onto the next. The longer she worked on it, the more she saw the bigger picture. It didn't take long for her to realize that Nayeon had painted the whole thing for her already but she was just so focused on each individual piece that she missed it for what it truly was. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>A confession. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>It wasn't platonic—nothing </span>
  <em>
    <span>had </span>
  </em>
  <span>been platonic. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Nayeon was in love with somebody and she had already told her. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>In fact, she had told her three times. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Dahyun had heard Nayeon say 'I love you' three times. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Which meant… </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"She called me dumb," Dahyun mumbled to herself, slowly sitting up on her bed, "She told me she loved me and she called me dumb." </span>
</p><p>
  <span>On the other side of the room, Tzuyu grumbled sleepily, "Took you long enough." </span>
</p><p>
  <span>This was the bigger picture: Nayeon loved her. She practically confessed to Dahyun so many times already. And Dahyun hadn't realized it. It had taken her so long but now that she knew, it occurred to her that the weird feeling she felt when Nayeon brought up confessing her feelings meant something else. It meant that deep inside, Dahyun hadn't been entirely welcome to the idea of her dear friend confessing to somebody else. All the signs she missed—she could see it as clear as day now. As she sat there, seeing Nayeon's words for what they really were, she felt the joy and relief settling in. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Because she loved Nayeon too. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I have to tell her," she declared to herself but her voice rang out in the silence and she heard Tzuyu shifting in her bed in response to her words. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"It's like," her roommate mumbled, checking her watch, "three o'clock. Can't your gay confession wait in the morning when Nayeon-unnie can react to it in a more reasonable manner?" </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Dahyun was already out of her bed by the time Tzuyu finished her sentence. "It can't wait," she said, pulling on her sweater and slipping her feet into her shoes, "I have to go."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Good luck," Tzuyu called out softly and in the darkness, Dahyun saw her roommate lift her hand in a gentle wave. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>The walk to Nayeon’s room didn’t take long. Dahyun spent most of it thinking about what she was going to say when she reached her destination. She wondered if this was how Nayeon felt when she showed up to her room nearly two weeks ago. She wondered if the older girl felt the same nerves in her stomach and if there was anything she did to remedy it. Still, Dahyun couldn’t help but admire Nayeon</span>
  <em>
    <span>—</span>
  </em>
  <span>she went in blindly. She had no clue of Dahyun’s feelings and yet, she went on and confessed. She took a chance. She was brave for doing that.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Now it was Dahyun’s turn to be brave. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>When she found herself standing outside Nayeon’s dorm room, Dahyun hesitated. It </span>
  <em>
    <span>was </span>
  </em>
  <span>three in the morning. Maybe Tzuyu was right. Maybe she should wait a few hours later. But she was already here. And she didn’t think she could let Nayeon think that she didn’t feel the same way. Because she did. God, she did. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>So she raised her fist and knocked on the door. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>At first, there was no response. Dahyun fidgeted, shifting her weight from one foot to another. She even fixed her hair a couple of times, adjusting her glasses and steadying her breathing. However, nobody opened the door. So she bit her lip and tried again. This time, her knocks were louder, making her wince at the sheer volume of it. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“</span>
  <em>
    <span>Coming</span>
  </em>
  <span>,” a voice on the other end said and Dahyun’s heart soared when she recognized it as Nayeon’s. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Dahyun always prided herself in being (hopefully) organized. She did her homework on time, knew how long it took for her to get to class and managed her hobbies well. There wasn’t really a point in her life where she panicked or when she did something she thought she couldn’t fix. She was careful in what she said and did. She exerted the right amount of energy in her extracurricular activities and hibernated the second she got home. Jeongyeon always told her that she was like a totally different person when it came to specific people. Sometimes, it was hard to tell what she was thinking. Maybe that was why Nayeon had to confess three times before Dahyun finally understood what she was trying to say. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>But that was the thing, really. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Dahyun didn’t feel different when she was with Nayeon. They’ve been friends since high school. They didn’t have the meet-cute that most people did. Instead, Dahyun had been introduced to Nayeon through her close friend Momo. They didn’t click at first. They were both extroverts in a sense that they knew what people wanted to hear. It took awhile for them to get close. But once they did, it was </span>
  <em>
    <span>easy.</span>
  </em>
  <span> Being friends with Nayeon was easy. Spending time with her was easy. Falling for her easy. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Maybe that was why Dahyun never noticed in the first place. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Still, Dahyun was an organized person. She always knew what to say, how to make people laugh and the right words to comfort somebody who was sad. This was something people complimented about her</span>
  <em>
    <span>—</span>
  </em>
  <span>how she was the right person to talk to at the right time.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She hoped she knew the right words to say right now. Then the door opened. When Dahyun found herself staring into Nayeon’s surprised expression at three in the morning, she realized she didn't have a clue what to say at </span>
  <em>
    <span>all. </span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span>“Hi,” she began, smiling brightly. The nerves kicked in and she felt a buzz filling her bones. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Nayeon was wearing a black tank top with cherry-patterned pajama shorts. Her hair was a mess, with glasses perched on top of her head, and she looked like she hadn’t gotten enough sleep. But Dahyun thought she was the prettiest girl ever. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Dahyun-ah,” Nayeon said, hiding a yawn behind her hand, “It’s the middle of the night.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I know,” Dahyun replied and the nerves in her stomach worsened. How did Nayeon do this? How did she manage to form the three little words in her tongue and let it out? How did she calm her rapidly beating heart? Dahyun wished she knew because now it was her turn to struggle with the exact same things. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Nayeon leaned on the doorway, furrowing her eyebrows. “Is there something you needed?” she asked, voice rough. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Dahyun wished she chose a more sensible time to confess because now she couldn’t stop staring at the bare expanse of skin peeking from underneath Nayeon’s top. With every ounce of her being, she raised her gaze to meet Nayeon's. "Is Mina here?" she blurted out, choosing the first topic that came to mind, which turned out to be the older girl's roommate.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Nayeon frowned, looking slightly miffed. "She's sleeping over at Sana's," she answered, "If you're looking for her, I can text her—"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"No," Dahyun interrupted quickly, her heart racing at the realization that she and Nayeon were actually alone, "It's you I'm looking for." </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Nayeon slowly raised her eyebrows. Then her lips curled into a smile, her two front teeth peeking out cutely. "Is there something you want to tell me, Dahyun-ah?" she asked cheekily. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Dahyun willed her heart to stop beating so rapidly and gestured behind Nayeon. "Do you mind if we talk inside?" she asked.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Nayeon didn't, silently stepping out of the way and closing the door shut behind Dahyun. The younger girl took a quick look around. It was obvious who owned which part of the room. Mina's was tidier in comparison with video game consoles arranged neatly on top of her desk and her bed designed with mint green shades. On the other side was Nayeon's bed and table, filled with polaroids, magazines and cosmetics. The bright purple of her belongings complimented the quiet shade of Mina's side.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Dahyun stepped close to the wall of photos Nayeon had hung and stared at the one Jeongyeon took a while back—a candid shot of Nayeon laughing at what Dahyun said. Dahyun couldn't remember the joke but she remembered Nayeon's laugh: loud and infectious, setting her chest on fire. It made her smile just remembering it.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"What's on your mind?" Nayeon asked, coming to stand next to her. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Dahyun took a deep breath. She came here for one reason and one reason alone. It was now her turn to confess.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"You called me dumb," were the first words that slipped past her lips. Almost at once, she wished she could take them back. It wasn't the smoothest thing to say, after all. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Nayeon stiffened. "Eh?" </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"The person you're in love with," Dahyun continued, wincing when Nayeon fixed her with an indescribable look. She had to look away; "You called her—I mean </span>
  <em>
    <span>me—</span>
  </em>
  <span>dumb. Unless I misunderstood, which I hope I didn't. But I'm sure I didn't, you know? Because I was thinking about it the whole night. It was the only thing that made sense, especially since within the span of two weeks, you said 'I love you' to me three times." </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Nayeon continued to stare at her. It was unnerving. Dahyun didn't have it in her to glance back. A part of her wasn't ready to see the look in Nayeon's eyes in fear that despite her gut feeling, she might've gotten it wrong. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Then Nayeon sighed. "And here I was," she murmured, "thinking that you were never going to understand simply because you didn't want to." </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Dahyun finally tore her gaze away from the wall of polaroids and looked at Nayeon sheepishly. "It did take me awhile," she begrudgingly admitted. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I could never read your mind, Dahyun-ah," Nayeon went on to say, still looking at her with that same indecipherable expression, "It wasn't hard to tell what you were feeling but what you were </span>
  <em>
    <span>thinking</span>
  </em>
  <span>—that was a whole other thing. Sometimes, you make me feel like I don't know you at all." </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Silence. Dahyun felt strangely calm. All the nerves from earlier had dissipated into the wind. What was left now was this sudden urge to hold Nayeon's hand. So she did. She clenched her right hand, relaxed it and then reached over to wrap her fingers around Nayeon's. The older girl flinched before relaxing into her touch. It was slow, hesitant—the way Nayeon finally unrolled her fist and let Dahyun intertwine their hands together. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>When Dahyun didn't say anything else, Nayeon exhaled a soft sigh and whispered, "Even until now, I still don't know what you're thinking." </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Dahyun now knew what she wanted to say next. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Nayeon-unnie," she began, turning her body so that she was facing the older girl, "I don't want to be friends anymore." </span>
</p><p>
  <span>The pure, unadulterated panic in Nayeon's eyes almost made Dahyun retract her words but she steeled her jaw and continued, intent on finishing what she wanted to say, "I don't want to hang out, to eat lunch together, to talk on the phone, to go to the library during our free days, to walk our dogs in the afternoon, all the things we used to do—I don't want to do them anymore." </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Nayeon opened her mouth to say something but Dahyun squeezed her hand and shook her head, signalling that she wasn't finished yet.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I don't want to do them anymore," she continued, swallowing thickly as her heart picked up speed again, "unless I get to call you my girlfriend each time." </span>
</p><p>
  <span>It should've been hilarious. Nayeon's eyes were the size of saucers. Her mouth was open but no words came out. Dahyun felt her heart thundering loudly against the inside of her ribcage. They were still holding hands. It dawned on her that they were both shaking. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>When it became clear that Nayeon wasn't going to respond, Dahyun inhaled deeply and said, "I love you, unnie. I think I always have. I'm sorry it took so long for me to understand." </span>
</p><p>
  <span>More silence. And then Nayeon laughed. It wasn't her usual loud laugh—the one where she threw her head back and cackled. No, this one was more subdued. Intimate, even. The kind of laugh you let out after sharing an inside joke with someone you haven't seen in a long time. Dahyun could hear the relief in it. Barely a second after she started laughing, Nayeon pulled the younger girl by her hand and wrapped her in an embrace. Dahyun relaxed at once, not realizing how tense she'd been, and hugged Nayeon back just as tightly. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"You're so dumb, Dahyun-ah," Nayeon murmured against her neck, sounding very happy, "You scared me for a second there."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"It was payback," the younger girl replied, inhaling the scent of Nayeon's shampoo, "You were being so vague each time you confessed." </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Nayeon shrugged her shoulders. "I was scared of you not feeling the same way," she admitted, "I don't think I'd be able to handle it." </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Dahyun nodded, closing her eyes shut. "Don't worry," she whispered, "I do feel the same way." </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Nayeon started shaking again. For a split second, Dahyun thought she was crying. But when she pulled back to look at the older girl, she saw that Nayeon was struggling not to laugh again. Her eyes danced with barely contained glee and her lips were split in a wide, gummy smile. Her happiness was contagious and Dahyun's large grin easily matched it. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"You </span>
  <em>
    <span>are </span>
  </em>
  <span>dumb, you know," Nayeon said, "I mean—who confesses </span>
  <em>
    <span>platonically</span>
  </em>
  <span>?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Dahyun scoffed in mock offense. Yet her grin remained. "That's not how you should treat your girlfriend," she pointed out slyly. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Nayeon's smile turned mischievous. "I didn't ask you yet," she said.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"You don't have to." Dahyun's eyes dropped to Nayeon's lips, caught in between her teeth and suddenly looking </span>
  <em>
    <span>very </span>
  </em>
  <span>inviting. "You don't have to read my mind to know my answer to that unvoiced question." </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"So, does that mean I don't have to voice it out loud at all?" Nayeon was now looking at Dahyun's mouth as well, eyebrows furrowing together in a slight frown.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Aware that they were still holding each other, Dahyun brought her hands up and touched Nayeon's cheeks with the tips of her fingers. They were warm to the touch. "Depends on you," she whispered, gaze fixed firmly on Nayeon's lips. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Nayeon nodded, eyelids fluttering close, as she leaned close. "Kim Dahyun," she mumbled, her voice so low that Dahyun had to strain her ears to hear, "Will you be my—"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Dahyun didn't let her finish. The answer was never said out loud, anyway. It was only felt by the press of their mouths together, lips slotting against each other's with ease. They sighed into the kiss, melting against one another and remained locked in their embrace. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Like two puzzle pieces that fit perfectly. </span>
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>DAYEON BREATHED TODAY </p><p>Find me on Twitter: @miabasher4lyf</p></blockquote></div></div>
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